Lydia Kaume, Ph.D., RDN
sm.nifa.cfp@usda.gov

Donna Fairhurst, P.S.M
donna.fairhurst@usda.gov

Briana Burke, M.S
Briana.Burke@usda.gov

The Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program funds projects designed to meet the needs of low-income individuals and increase community self-reliance concerning food and nutrition. Funding is also designed to meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agricultural needs, including needs relating to equipment, planning for long-term solutions, and/or marketing.

Two types of grants are available within this funding opportunity:

1. Planning Projects: Funding should be used to complete plans for food security improvement projects.
2. Community Food Projects: Funding will be awarded to support ongoing projects with a one-time infusion of federal dollars to make projects self-sustaining.
3. Training and Technical Assistance: For this round of funding, grant funds will be awarded to a single entity to provide technical assistance to Community Food Project grantees.

Preference will be given to projects that:

• Develop linkages between two or more sectors of the food system
• Support the development of entrepreneurial projects
• Develop innovative connections between the for-profit and nonprofit food sectors
• Encourage long-term, capacity-building activities with collaborations from multiple stakeholders
• Develop new resources and strategies to help reduce food insecurity and prevent food insecurity in the future by developing creative food resources, coordinating food services, and creating nutrition education programs
• Apply a systems approach to address social determinants of health and capacity building
• Address current and future effects of climate change on food systems and nutrition security

Eligible applicants are public food program service providers, tribal organizations, and private nonprofit entities, including entities that collect or harvest surplus food that is distributed to agencies and nonprofit organizations to feed individuals in need (gleaners).

For Training and Technical Assistance grants, eligibility is limited to nongovernmental organizations, state cooperative extension services, region food systems centers, federal, state or tribal agencies, and institutions of higher education.

Additional eligibility requirements can be found in the funding announcement.

Planning projects: Grants of up to $35,000 for a project period of 1-3 years.
Community Food Projects: Grants of up to $125,000 in a single year and $400,000 over 4 years.
Training and Technical Assistance: Grant of up to $250,000 in a single year and $1,000,000 over 4 years.
Total Funding Available: $4,800,000

Applicants must match the federal award amount on a dollar for dollar basis. Matching funds must be from non-federal sources. Matching funds are not required for the Training and Technical Assistance grant.

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and online application process are available through grants.gov.